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When you come into the book of Joshua, Moses has just died and Joshua is taking over as the leader of Israel. This is definitely a new chapter in Joshua’s life because he has always been the second man to Moses.

We could say our lives are like a book, and each of us has different chapters that have been written. Some of the previous chapters in our lives may not be so good, but we can close those chapters and allow God to author a new chapter in our lives. As Joshua entered this new chapter in his life as the leader of Israel, there were four things he had.

1. The protection of the Lord. “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life:” (Joshua 1:5) “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” (Psalms 34:7) When we are attempting to do God’s will for our lives, it is great to know the protecting hand of God is over us. I’m sure each of you can look back at different times in your career and say that you have seen the protecting hand of God in your life.

2. The presence of the Lord. “as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (Joshua 1:5) “for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” (Hebrews 13:5 ) The older I get, the more I cherish the presence of the Lord. No matter where we’re at or what we’re faced with, God is ever present with us. Job wrote, “Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him: But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:8-10) Job looked all around him, and it seemed that God wasn’t there. However, Job knew that God knew where he was. As we enter a new chapter in our lives, it’s good to know that we’ll have the protection of the Lord, the presence of the Lord, and…

3. The proclamation from the Lord. “Be strong and of good courage:” (Joshua 1:6) “Only be thou strong and very courageous,” (Joshua 1:7) God instructs Joshua as he begins this new chapter of his life to be strong and very courageous. God knows that Joshua will face many battles and hardships as they are beginning to possess the land of Canaan. Each and every one of us will face hardships and battles in this life, but God has instructed us and given us a proclamation to be strong and very courageous. We do not have to allow the devil to destroy our lives, our families, and our testimonies. With God authoring the next chapter, we can be strong and very courageous.

4. The precepts of the Lord. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”  (Joshua 1:8) This is the only time in the Bible that the word “success” is mentioned. If the next chapter of our lives is going to be successful, we will have to allow God to author it according to His instruction manual. Joshua says the way to have good success is not to depart from the precepts of God’s word. This week may we allow God to begin authoring a new chapter of our lives, and influencing others for His glory.